Diary Entry of November 25, 1881
Indigestion reduced Richard's day to essentials: he forced himself through a page of the score, ate almost nothing, skipped his walk, and went to bed before evening. A letter about plans for Tristan in London and Hamburg sharpened his irritation by reminding him how difficult it was to keep any work spotless once it entered the world. The entry is brief and weary, dominated by physical discomfort and artistic vexation.
Friday, November 25:
R. does not feel well, as a result of indigestion. He does manage to complete his page, but he eats little at lunch, omits his walk, and goes off to bed at 6 o’clock, after being vexed by a letter to me from Herr Francke about Tristan in London; they want to do it in Hamburg first as a preliminary study.
“One can’t keep anything spotless,” says R.